A/N: see chapter one for disclaimer. This was just one of those chapters that refused to be written. It's April Fools and it snowed this morning. curses weather

Last Time: Trunks stole his half-eaten pie from the kitchen, Pan dressed Trunks, Goten made an appearance, telling of the dance-notice he saw in town, and the fortune-teller was killed.

"Win-Win, Pan"

Trunks sniffed and shifted under her gaze. Pan refused to move her stare from him.

"What?" he finally asked in exasperation and uneasiness.

"I'm just waiting for my pie," she said simply. Trunks rolled his eyes.

"You really want me to go steal you another one?" he asked, regarding her seriously. "Are there any left? I mean, just how many pies does one farm make a day? Why are so many made anyway?"

"They're sold in town," she said, very matter of fact, as if it should have been the most common knowledge in the world. "And no, I don't need you to steal me one… I don't think you finished the one I made last night," she said, trailing her voice off, as she turned and looked around the kitchen for the covered pie.

"Why didn't you just eat that in the first place then?" he asked, sending her a mild glare, leaning back in the wooden chair, arms folded across his chest.

"Because the kitchen ones are still warm," she replied, facing away from him, reaching into a very deep cupboard. She pulled herself out, jug in hand, and carried it along with a bowl containing a good sized slice of left over apple pie to the table.

She took her seat again, and lifted the cover from the jug, pouring its contents over her pie and filling the bowl. Trunks wrinkled his nose in a state of horror.

"What are you pouring over my lovely pie?"

"I am pouring milk over my pie," she said, not looking up, and attacking the bowl with a spoon, bringing chunks of pie and dripping milk to her mouth.

"That is… disgusting," Trunks whispered. Pan looked up, milk sliding down her chin, mouth full and shot him a questioning glance. She moved to reply but Trunks quickly held up his hand. "Don't you dare talk with that stuff still in your mouth."

Pan chewed and swallowed before replying.

"Don't shoot something down if you have no idea what it tastes like. That is so like you."

"Excuse me?" he asked, bringing his chair back from its two-legged lean. "I don't need to try it. It looks disgusting, and the way you're inhaling it does nothing for its appeal. I mean, you're desecrating it by adding that milk."

"Desecrate? It's pie, not a god. Besides, it's fresh milk."

"From these cows that never come home?"

Pan laughed.

"Really. Why can't they come home?"

"Because cows aren't that smart," she replied, twirling her spoon around the bowl.

"… so, if you were to be called a cow, it could be taking a swing at your intelligence, not just your body size?" Trunks asked. Pan froze, her spoon half-way to her mouth, moving dark eyes slowly upwards. She placed her spoon down, and bit her lip, smiling at the almost comical nervousness in the prince's voice.

"Did someone call you a cow?"

"No! I mean… no." Pan raised an eyebrow, trying desperately not to laugh out loud at him.

"I'm sure they didn't mean to call you stupid," she said truthfully. Trunks still looked mildly insulted, his cheeks splashed with a hint of red.

"Well, they weren't calling me fat, I mean look at this," he said, running his hands down his side, emphasizing the slimness of his torso.

"Cows are also sloppy, lazy and slow," Pan offered, which was received with a scowl.

"I never said anyone called me a cow anyway," he said, folding his arms again, and looking away like a pouting child.

Pan smiled and finished her pie.

She blinked, eyebrows raised, trying to stop her mouth from gaping.

"What do you mean he's not here?" she asked, looking sternly at the guard. The guard clenched his jaw, as if irritated by the girl's question, but not daring to talk crossly to the future queen.

"As I said, my lady, he left on royal business. To post the king's announcement of the upcoming-"

"Yes, but… are you sure it was him?"

"Yes, my lady," the guard replied with an exasperated sigh. She turned away; long dress swishing at her ankles.

She walked slowly down the hallway, eyes cast downward, brow furrowed in thought. Her fingers brushed the bottle hidden at her side. It was odd for her 'master' to leave. Odd for him to leave when he had been so concerned about her finishing the love spell. Odd that he wasn't there to see it complete.

She bit her lip. She didn't need to consult her magic to know that something was going wrong. Something that she wouldn't be able to fix. She could only pray that the prince was taking care of himself, and using his protected time as he could.

"It's funny, actually," Pan murmured, stretching absently, dropping back on the grass, hands over her head, eyes closing against the afternoon sun. Trunks glanced down at her from his spot leaning back against the hard oak tree.

"What's funny?" he asked, blue eyes turned back towards the pond in front of them, the ripples of the water lapping against the shore line, creating a soothing and tiring background noise.

"The way my parents acted about leaving me here alone. They made such a deal about how I was responsible enough and so on, but… well, this place practically runs itself."

"Ah," Trunks returned his gaze to the girl stretched out beside him. "You accuse me of being lazy, but look, you just said yourself that you don't have to do anything here. Looks to me like I'm not the only one that gets to sit around all day. …Not that I do, mind you… I'm a very…"

"Productive prince, I'm sure. No, you missed my point. I'm only wallowing in jobless bliss because I'm in charge. See, it's for a few days, right, so I don't have to worry about the long term decisions, because the workers can handle anything until my father gets back.

"But, I also don't have to do my regular chores and such. So, really, it's like… a few days of freedom," she finished off, shaking her head, a smile plastered across her face, eyes still closed to the bright sky. Trunks returned his own eyes to her.

"You speak like a few mere days are heaven."

"Sometimes they are." She opened her eyes at this, bringing her hand to shield out the sun, the blue material from Trunks' old tunic standing out against her pale hand. "I guess my father thought I deserved it. After all, I did spend a day of my life trying to convince you of all people to have a heart." Trunks rolled his eyes.

"You know what, Pan? I am a prince. I am leaning back against this tree. I don't have to worry about a single thing at this moment. And I'm not going to let you spoil it by bringing up something I did ages ago… if two days can be considered… ages… yes. Well, anyway. I'm here now, and I'm just going to ignore you if you decide to get all snooby about something that I said I would fix."

Pan raised her eyebrows from underneath her shielded hand.

"Did you just say 'snooby'?" Trunks blinked.

"…no?"

Pan laughed. It was a pleasant laugh, Trunks decided. She sat up abruptly, the remains of the laughter still present on her face. She looked at him for a moment, before turning to the pond, as if something wild had just occurred to her. She turned back, the breeze having furthered messed up her already disheveled hair. It brushed playfully across her face, causing her to pull it away, revealing that her smile had not yet disappeared.

"Will you swim now?" she asked, in a voice that sounded as if she had been running a distance.

"What?" he asked, pushing his own lavender hair off his face.

"I said I would teach you how to swim," she reminded him.

"My father is holding a ball."

"Yes, I heard. Now don't change the subject," she scolded. He shook his head.

"I was just wondering if you were going to go."

"Have you ever seen me at any of your other dances?" Trunks shook his head again. Truthfully, that was what had had sparked his question. Her uncle had said that her title allowed her to go, and he agreed, but he never recalled seeing her. Not that he would have noticed her if she hadn't crowded up around him in hopes to get a dance. And judging from what he had learned about her in the past day, he didn't see her as the type to really do that.

He frowned.

"No, you've never gone have you. Why?"

Pan shrugged.

"You could guess, I'm sure. I don't fit in with those wimpy ladies at court."

Trunks nodded slightly. Yes, he could have guessed that was her reason. Pan had looked down. Fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress absently, bottom lip held under a row of teeth, dark eyes avoiding him all together.

"Well, you could go to this upcoming one," Trunks said simply. Pan looked over at him.

"I don't have any reason to go…"

"… I'll be there."

"You're the prince. You're always there."

"Yes, but, you'll know me. Besides, look. It won't be held until I get back, so you can just… it's the perfect solution. You'll be there so that we can settle everything with the money and your farm, and if you stick with me, then I won't have to try to fend off chest-throwing girls. 'Cause I can dance with you. Win-win, Pan."

Pan shifted her jaw, though Trunks wasn't sure if it was in anger or thought.

"Alright, I'll go to clear things up about my home. But I'm not going to dance."

"Why?" he asked quickly, causing Pan to raise her eyebrows. "I mean, besides taking some morbid delight in my suffering alone, what other reasons?"

She continued to finger the hem of her dress. Trunks smirked.

"You don't have… a dress?" he asked. Pan blinked.

"No. I have the money too, if that's what you're getting at."

"So there's some other reason."

"Maybe I do just take a morbid delight."

"Maybe…"

It was possible that Pan had an evil streak, but he had a feeling there was something else. He would like to say it was just because he was a brilliant man, and he had second intuition to almost everything. But in reality, he had spent his entire life shadowed by a father who made exploiting weaknesses an art. All he had to do was fine the weakness Pan was hiding… ah, he had learnt well.

He allowed himself a small smirk before leaning forward, tilting his head to try and catch Pan's eye, hair falling messily from behind his ear.

"You don't know how to dance, do you?" he asked, his smirk deepening despite himself. Pan turned her face further away, eyes shut, mouth scowling and a faint blush across her nose.

"There's no reason I would need to know how to dance. Do you see many occasions for dancing here?" she asked, turning to him, gesturing with her arms.

The two stared at each other, Pan's face set in an almost angry defense, but Trunks' was calculating.

"Okay. Then I will teach you how, and you will have no reason why not to go, right?" he asked, leaning forward further, so far that if he leaned any further he would fall on his face. "It only seems fair. You're going to teach me how to swim… I'll teach you how to dance."

Pan turned to him fully, Trunks pulling back to avoid knocking heads. She looked at him carefully before smiling slightly and nodding.

Trunks smiled himself, hopped to his feet and held out a hand to help Pan to hers.

"So you'll let me teach you to swim? You promise?" she asked. Trunks grimaced, but nodded.

"Dancing first," he said. "You have to learn quicker than I'll have to. Seeing as how a dance will be held in a matter of days, whereas, I don't believe there is some massive water conference at the end of the week."

Pan had been nervously brushing down her skirts, but paused and looked up, smiling, at his slight joke. He cautiously held out a hand, at such an angle that it could only be for dancing. She moved to take it, but stopped herself, casting a glance behind her.

"Not here… someone would see me dancing alone…"

He considered making a jab about how she had surely done stranger things, or commenting on some other low class joke that would send her anger levels haywire. But she was already almost jumpy, lip constantly being chewed, hands fidgeting in front of her. He wasn't sure if she was nervous about dancing, nervous about being caught, or maybe just being taught something new.

Or maybe it was because of him… Little Miss Pan - finding it hard to be near him, like he was finding it hard with her. But if he was just teaching her something as straightforward and automatic as dancing, he would be able to control himself. Though she may not be able.

Not to say that he expected her to madly throw her arms around him in a spontaneous act of love and commence with lust driven acts of affection… that was too much to expect even from a hormonal hermit. But he did expect this dance lesson to be interesting… more so than he thought it could be only yesterday.

And so, deciding to let the possible jibes at her nervousness remain unsaid; he cast his cerulean eyes around him in a quick gesture before they landed on what he was looking for.

"There?" he asked, drawing her attention, and pointing to further along the pool, where the thick forest would shield her from view. She nodded without much thought to the location, but made no move to walk there until Trunks made his.

Once hidden away, she cast her own safety glance, only returning her eyes to him when she felt that it was safe to be dancing with an invisible partner. Trunks coughed slightly.

"Okay," he whispered, lacking anything intelligent to say at the moment. His hand was held out again, and this time it was taken. Pan's bandaged hand was light in his, as if she were only letting it hover, the soft tips of her fingers brushing over the back of his hand.

He gently reached down and took her other hand, placing it on his arm, before letting his own free hand brush down and rest at her hip. He could almost hear Pan swallowing.

"Just follow my feet, okay?" he murmured, getting a mere nod in response.

He stepped to the left first, bringing his other foot along to his side, then back, to the side, forward, left again, back, to the side, forward, left – it was so simple. Pan would be getting it in no-

"Ow! Bloody-"

"Ah! Argh, I'm sorry. I knew I'd be useless at this," Pan said angrily, the first words she had spoken since the 'dance' had started. She tore her arms away from his and stepped back.

"I can't do this," she said, shaking her head.

"Pan, you only stepped on my foot. Once. I've been hurt worse." But Pan just shook her head, turning to walk away. A quick grasp to her arm stopped her in her march. "As if you would let me quit if the roles were reversed," he said, pulling her back to him.

Pan folded her arms across her chest and looked up at him. He tilted his head to the side before giving a nod.

"Take off your shoes."

"What?" she asked, confused at the sudden order.

"Take off your shoes," he repeated, annunciating each word. She raised an eyebrow but oddly complied. It didn't take her overly long to unlace her shoes and casually toss them to the side. She was left standing in the soft grass with just bare feet, the thin green strands tickling at the bottom her toes.

"What now, Mr. Dance-Master?"

"Stand on my feet."

"What?" she asked again, voice still carrying the tone of confusion.

"Are you even awake? I don't want to have to repeat myself twice for everything," he said jokingly. "Come here and stand on my feet."

"Why?" she asked, not moving from her spot.

"I'll dance with you on my toes, that way your feet will get used to the step pattern. It takes a while for your feet to get comfortable with the movements."

Pan frowned, hands back over her chest, and her eyes darted from his face to his feet. She seemed to be contemplating what to do, but her decision was obvious, as she walked up to him.

He grabbed both of her hands for support as she leaned in to get balance on his toes. Once she was on, he rearranged the hold he had on her hands, placing her hands behind his neck, curled together to hold on. He let his own hands rest at the back of her waist, not being able to hold arms properly in their current position.

"And here we go," he said softly, moving his legs in the steps he knew so well. It was second nature to him, but looking down he could see Pan being almost half-amazed at the steps her own feet were taking on account of where they stood.

Her mind was working to memorize the routine he was teaching her. Her mind was so solely concentrated that she didn't even notice herself leaning ever-so-slightly back before-

"Eek!"

"Whoah," Trunks commented, reflexes grabbing Pan before she fell to the ground. Pan shook her head to right herself before looking up at him. "You slipped off," he explained lightly, if she hadn't noticed her feet slipping from his own. The angle her heels hit the ground had thrown off her balance and she was grateful for the prince's catching skills, though decided to leave that thank-you to herself.

Trunks didn't seem in the least bit deterred from his goal, even though she had already stepped on his feet and had almost fallen quite painfully to the ground. While it seemed like she was getting nowhere, there was just a feel to the way she moved that he knew it wouldn't last forever.

Just a sense that she could learn to dance quickly and efficiently. It was in her posture, her grace, her coordination… she had the potential; he just needed to get it to click. All it would take would be that one moment when her body and mind connected and her limbs would act the way she instructed them to. That's all dancing was. To get that connection to click, and once it had, the rest was completely down hill.

He spread his arms in a gesture that he was ready to start again. She looked at him mildly quizzically, as if he were mad for wanting to try again to get her to dance. Nonetheless, she cautiously stood up to him again, and placed her feet on his own. Arms hung around his neck, slightly tighter, in hopes of hanging on better this time.

She was a bit surprised to feel the hands around her waist tighten and pull her body right up to his.

"Don't want you falling off again," he murmured quietly, something she picked up easily being in such proximity with his mouth. Her face was practically stuffed against his chest, causing her to move it to the side for vision and air.

Hands brought her impossibly closer, allowing her for no other position but to lean her cheek against his chest soundly.

Eyes drifted close, from both of them, and the two stood rocking and stepping slowly in each others arms to no particular rhythm. The assigned foot steps all too quickly left behind.

Goten walked casually through the streets, humming an annoying tune that was stuck in his head. One that some plump baker's wife had been singing, not only loudly, but also horribly off key, and was now etched into his mind, forcing him to hum it along. Not that he minded.

Goten liked to hum. Never sing; he was above subjecting the general public to his singing voice. In fact, ever since a few years ago when he had been caught by Pan singing at the pond and she had refused to stop laughing for the days that followed, he had refrained from singing at all, in public or private.

But humming was safe. Everyone could hum.

Besides, Goten liked to hum when he was in a good mood. And he was generally in a good mood at the moment. Sure he had just made an entire trip to his old home, in hopes of playing hero to his niece, only to discover that it was too late. He had already been there.

Pan had been hurt. Whether from Keipher or some other source, he didn't know. But she hadn't been worried. He had seen it in her eyes; she was fine with the whole thing. He was used to looking at Pan, seeing past her obvious feelings. She wasn't one to wear her feelings on her sleeve, but she wore them in other places. He didn't think she even realized that he was able to see through her. She didn't clue in, that when things at home got shifty, her parents called him in to see what was the matter with her.

Because a lie didn't get past him.

Not the lies that counted anyway.

Goten would admit truthfully that he was a rather gullible man, and was victim to many pranks that could have been avoided, but when it came to push and shove, when it was things that really mattered; he would not be fooled.

So, yes, he could tell that when Pan said she was okay, yes, she was okay. However…

Goten paused in his humming, a silly smile spreading over his face.

Unexpected bodyguards, indeed. She had smiled, glancing in a direction where there was nothing to look at. The glance did not go unnoticed. Goten had made some remark to Pan about the farm boys there. True, she had always had a way with the boys at the farm. It was something that Gohan, his brother, should have been prepared for. You couldn't have a young, pretty girl walk around a farm without the boys turning their heads.

But Goten had seen that smile before. Seen it on his brother, seen it on Videl, even on his own parents. Whoever Pan was smiling about, was not just a farm boy.

In fact, he had a feeling it might not even be a farm boy…

But then who?

He really couldn't think of anyone that Pan would have seen or known of…

"Son!"

Goten was yanked out of his thoughts by the sudden yell from behind him. Turning, he caught a hand on the back, and a grin on the face in front of him. He smiled slightly; it was just a friend from town.

"Hi," he said curiously, noticing the small woman attached to his friend's arm.

"Yeah, 'hi' to yourself. You looked off in another place just now." Goten laughed.

"Just came from the old farm. You know, checking up on my little niece Pan." The friend raised his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah? But seems to me, that she really isn't that little anymore," the friend said, eyes cast in his head, as if counting the years Goten's niece would be. Goten regarded his friend in mock suspicion. "But really, is she still free?" he asked, head tilted to the side.

"Officially yes, unofficially… well, you know women," Goten replied.

"Yes. Yes, I do," his friend said, casting his eyes to the one at his side. He cleared his throat before looking back to Goten. "Well, I have to be… off. Say hi to Pan for me, the next time you see her," he said, throwing a light wave behind him as he walked off, the girl skipping beside him.

Goten shook his head in mild amusement, before gathering himself and turning to continue on his way. He was generally shocked to see someone blocking his path. The man was a good two heads shorter than himself, and looking up at him from a set of numerous layers of cloth.

"Pardon me, sir," the voice came. "I couldn't help but overhear… I am in the process of looking for the right direction to get to Miss Pan's farm…"

Goten looked at the man for a moment. How thick did the guy think he was? He wasn't really planning on disclosing the location of Pan to some stranger, not when… hold on. On the man's sleeve was sewn the proud emblem of the royals. He looked back at the face – the man was from the castle. But why would he want to see Pa- Oh! Pan had gone to the castle the other day, had she not? In order to discuss her farm with the prince. Perhaps this man had something to do with that.

"Does this have to do with her complaint at the castle?" he asked. The man blinked, and cast his eyes quickly from side to side.

"Complaint?"

"Yes. Pan was at the castle the other day, regarding her farm-"

"Oh yes. I have news from the king regarding the issue. Some of the things discussed were left… unresolved." Goten smiled.

"So you're going to put things right? That's great. Well, it's nearing evening; I wouldn't try and make the trip tonight. Not if you don't know the paths. But tomorrow, just follow there," he turned, pointing towards a less-traveled path, seen above the edge of the town.

"Much thanks," the man replied, while Goten nodded.

Goten walked off, his mind on dinner. The other man followed the path with his beady eyes, deciding to take the young man's advice and wait for the next day. And then, he would go see this Pan. This Pan that he knew had something to do with the prince. The silly fortune girl had said as much.

But she had been so reluctant, too. No matter. Should this Pan have the same unwilling tongue, she would find herself in the same predicament as the palm reader in the bar.

Dead.

Woot. (that goes out to Reikon) And I leave off with psycho-killer knowing where Pan lives. Thanks for the suggestions last chapter, most people just wanted them to go to the dance, but I don't know if I can promise that, so you can have them sort of dance by the pond instead. Yee.

Angel Eevee